Machine for affixing stamps



(No Model.) 2 SheetS Sheet 1. W. M. GRAY.

MACHINE FOR APE-IXING STAMPS.

No. 488,250. Patented'Sept. 27, 1892.

llu W 514 auto c Witness r20 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MYERS GRAY, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

MACHINE FOR AFFIXING STAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,250, dated September 2'7, 1892.

Application filed February 1. 1890. Serial No. 338,883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

I 3e it known that 1, WILLIAM MYERs GRAY, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Machine for A'ffixing Stamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

ltly invention relates to that class of devices which are used to apply stamps of various kinds to letters, packages, and the like; and 1t consists of the parts which will be hereinafter fully described and 'pointed out in the claims forming parts of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the presser depressed. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line a: {6, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail of the presser. Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the moistening-pads provided with a modified spring. Fig. 7 is a view of a blank of sheet metal, from which the frame may be formed. Fig. 8 is a view of a modification showing a reservoir attached for hold- 1ng water. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 10 is a View of one of the moistening-pads used in the modified form of device.

The device as I have thus shown it and which is adapted to receive a strip of stamps either from the hand of the operator or from any suitable feeding mechanism and to be operated by any suitable source of power, consists of four principal parts: a frame B, a presser O, and two moistening-pads E. The frame B is formed of a blank of sheet metal, as shown in Fig. 7, slitted at w, and having slots 19' and an opening a and bent on the dotted lines to form the top a, the sides b, the top end portions 0, and the ends cl of the frame, which, as thus constituted, has an opening y at either side of its upwardly-ex tending central portion F to receive the stamps. Held normally in the central portion is the presser 0, having a stem 0 extending upward through the opening a, which stem has a handle 0 against which presses the spring D, encircling the stem and holding the presser in its normal elevated position. The spring preferably rests at its lower end in the ferrule n, secured in the top of the frame. The presser has on its sides guides 5 extending into slots 1), which constitute guideways, and is provided with a yielding face G of some convexity and of rubber. It is of such width as to just pass between the edges of the top portions 0 of the frame, which, with the edges of the presser,

form what may be termed shears for severing the stamps from the strip. Pivoted in the lower portion of the frame and just outside of the path of the presser are the moistening-pads E, preferably of quadrant form in cross-section and of sheet metal, each having a flat face of absorbent material, which, in the normal position of the moistener, lies in a horizontal position just under the presser, but which, when the presser descends, assumes a vertical position just outside of the then position of the presser. The pivots E of the pads have arms E united by a spring E and when the pads are in their normal positions abutting the detent E Into a machine as thus constructed the stamps are fed in strips through one of the openings y, as represented by dotted lines, Figs. 1 and 3, the presser being intermittently depressed. One at a time the stamps are severed from the strip by the cutting action of the presser, as moving downward it passes the edge of one of the top end portions 0 of the frame, forced into contact with the moistening-pads, and when the pads have swung asidepressed upon the letter or package upon which the machine is resting. Upon the return of the parts to their normal positions by force of the springs D and F. another stamp may in like manner be attached to the letter or package. The convex face of the presser remains in contact with the flat surfaces of the pads until they have moved downward a considerable distance, the stamps being thereby first moistened at their centers by pressure and thereafter from their centers to their margins as the presser descends. Were the face of the presser fiat or the surfaces of the pads concave the least downward movement would bring the edges of the presser into contact with the pads and leave its center out of contact therewith, in which case the stamps would not be pressed against the pads, even at their edges, and might therefore fail to receive the proper amount of moisture.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the device is provided with reservoirs M, of glass, hard rubber, or metal, having wicks N, of fibrous material, extending therefrom to the moistening-pads E, which, as I have shown them may have their faces 0 formed of the folded ends of the wicks. The pads are hinged at the same point as those already described, but instead of being held in their normal positions by springs attached to arms outside the frame they are so held by abent spring P, coiled about the hinge-pins of the pads and bearing against the inner sides of the reservoir. A partial partition Q in each of the reservoirs, extending from the top downward, prevents slopping over of the water. The hinges of the pads are made water-tight to prevent dripping of the water from the wicks. In order to make them water-tight, I encircle the hinge-pin with a tube R of soft rubber that is of sufficient size to effectually close the joint.

Having thus described my invention, what 7 I claim is,

1. The combination of a frame having guideways on opposite sides thereof, a presser mounted in said guideways and having a convex face, segmental pads normally in and pivoted adjacent to the path of said presser and provided with fiat faces, and springs for holding the presser and pads in their normal positions, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a frame made from a single piece of sheet metal slitted and bent to form the ends, the sides, and the top, and provided with guideways in its sides and an opening in its top, a presser mounted in said guideways and having a stern extending through said opening and provided with a handle, a spring bearing against said handle, pads pivoted in the frame and normally in the path of the presser, and springs for holding the pads in their normal positions, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a frame having guides on each of two sides and an inwardlyextending cutting-edge on each of the two alternate sides, a presser mounted in said guides and having a yielding convex face, and having, also, a cutting-edge on each of two sides co-operating with one of the cut ting-edges of the frame, and movable pads with flat faces normally situated in the path of the presser, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a frame, a presser mounted in guideways in said frame, a moistening-pad having water-tight hinges normally in the path of the presser, a water-reservoir carried by the frame and provided with a depending partition situated close to the wall nearest the pad, and a wick extending from the reservoir and constituting a continuation of the pad, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MYERS GRAY.

Witnesses:

JAMES J. FERRY, J AMES J. MADIGAN. 

